CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada and its Member partners – Hockey Nova Scotia, Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador, and Hockey Quebec - have announced the host communities and tournament dates for two of its international events – the 2025 U17 World Challenge and 2025 Junior A World Challenge, along with the U18 Women’s National Championship.  

“Hockey Canada takes great pride in welcoming premier hockey events and hockey talent to communities across the country,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact with Hockey Canada. “From sponsors to volunteers, communities over the years have proven to be excellent hosts, ensuring lasting memories and legacy for all participants.”

The U17 World Challenge will return to Nova Scotia for a third time (and first since January 2014) when Truro plays host from Oct. 31-Nov. 8. The tournament is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence and includes two Canadian teams and four international entries.

The U18 Women’s National Championship will be hosted in Newfoundland and Labrador for the first time when the City of Mount Pearl and Town of Conception Bay South welcome eight provincial and regional teams – Alberta, Atlantic, B.C., Manitoba, Ontario Blue, Ontario Red, Quebec and Saskatchewan – to compete for a national championship from Nov. 3-9.

The Junior A World Challenge will be hosted in Quebec for the first time, Dec. 7-13 in Trois-Rivières. An international showcase of some of the best young hockey talent, more than 300 NHL draft picks have played at the tournament since 2006, including 45 first-round draft picks.

Fans can stay up to date on schedules, ticket information and other promotions by signing up to become a Hockey Canada Insider.

For more information on Hockey Canada please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team has earned the silver medal at the 2024 Para Cup, coming up short against the United States 4-1 in the gold medal game on Saturday night in Charlottetown.

Tyler McGregor (Forest, ON) scored the lone Canadian goal, tying the game 10:15 into the first period; it would be the last goal until the Americans broke open the game early in the third. Corbin Watson (Kingsville, ON) turned in a stellar performance in the Canadian goal, making 17 saves as the U.S. outshot Canada 21-12.

“Our team did great being ourselves. I loved this tournament; we got to demonstrate the depth of all three of our forward lines,” Adam Dixon (Midland, ON) said. “We just have to keep doing our job, keep doing what we are supposed to do every day when we are away from the rink and at home and we will see improvement in our next competition.”

Declan Farmer had a goal and two assists for the Americans, tying Canadians Greg Westlake (2011) and Brad Bowden (2011) for the single-tournament record with 18 points and setting a new single-tournament record with 11 goals.

Canada defeated Czechia and China before falling to the United States in the preliminary-round finale, and punched its ticket to the gold medal game by defeating Czechia 3-1 in the semifinals. McGregor finished the tournament as the leading Canadian scorer with nine points, recording seven goals and two assists in five games.

“We, for the most part, played to our identity. I really thought our forecheck was good tonight, we generated some chances and some offensive zone time. At the end, they were able to outperform us in the third period,” head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, ON) said. “I really liked the growth of our younger players in particular. For most of the games and tonight included, all the players we dress are finding ways to contribute whether that is on the scoresheet or getting out and changing momentum.”

China defeats Czechia to win first-ever bronze medal

Earlier in the day, China captured its first-ever medal at the Para Cup, shutting out Czechia 4-0 in the bronze medal game. Yifeng Shen led the way for China with two goals, while Yanzhao Ji made 12 saves for the shutout.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram, and by using #ParaCup.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the 18 players who will be a part of Canada’s National Para Hockey Team at the 2024 Para Cup, Dec. 8-14 in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Three goaltenders, five defence and 10 forwards were selected by head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, ON/York University, OUA) and Adam Janssen (Richmond Hill, ON), manager of hockey operations. Assistant coaches Steve Arsenault (Spruce Grove, AB), Mike Fountain (Gravenhurst, ON), Liam Heelis (Georgetown, ON), Boris Rybalka (Vernon, BC) and Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON) also provided input.

“The Para Cup is an exciting event as we showcase our game to Canadians across the country, and we are thrilled to bring the tournament back to Charlottetown this year,” Herrington said. “We are anticipating strong competition from China, Czechia and the United States, but we have prepared a competitive group set to represent Canada next month.”

The roster features 16 players who won a gold medal at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary (Armstrong, Boily, Burnett, Cozzolino, Dixon, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Hickey, Jacobs-Webb, Kingsmill, Kovacevich, Lavin, Lelièvre, McGregor, Watson).

Canada’s National Para Hockey Team selected its roster from the 32 players who participated in evaluation camp, Sept. 27–Oct. 2 in Elmira, Ontario.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the medal games on Saturday, Dec. 14; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games and both semifinals will be livestreamed at HNLive.ca.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

SARNIA, Ontario – Canada White has won back-to-back gold medals at the U17 World Challenge after defeating Canada Red 3-1 in the gold medal game on Saturday evening.

After a scoreless opening period, Canada White found the back of the net twice in 3:02 to take a 2-0 lead. Jean-Christoph Lemieux (Belleville, ON/Windsor, OHL) opened the scoring before Mathis Preston (Penticton, BC/Spokane, WHL) buried a one-timer that stood as the game-winner with less than five minutes remaining in the second period. Preston’s clincher was his tournament-leading sixth goal.

“This is the best feeling in the world, and I am so proud of these guys. We had to face a bit of adversity throughout the tournament, but I am so happy we were able to [win gold] today,” said Preston. “The puck was not going in for me in the preliminary round, but I kind of broke through in the medal round and I am happy I was able to contribute. I could not have done it without such great teammates around me.”

Adam Valentini (Toronto, ON/Chicago, USHL) rounded out the scoring for White less than four minutes into the third period, firing a shot from the slot past Canada Red netminder Carter Esler (Okotoks, AB/Spokane, WHL). Red would pull within two on a Braidy Wassilyn (Campbellville, ON/Niagara, OHL) goal, but it fell short as White goaltender Gavin Betts (Toronto, ON/Pickering, OJHL) turned in an exceptional 38-save performance.

“This feels surreal. Representing Canada and winning a gold medal is something that I have dreamed about since I was a young kid, and to be able to take in this moment with our group is an incredible feeling,” said Betts. “I do not think I will every forget the moments we experienced at this tournament, and it has been an incredible experience getting to wear the Maple Leaf.”

“Everything started to click for us in our quarterfinal game. Going through the loss against Sweden [to finish the preliminary round] made us stronger and prepared us for the gold medal game, and I believe that helped us come out on top,” said Canada White head coach Mathieu Turcotte (Kirkland, QC/Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL). “I am extremely proud of our guys, and I think our team had one of the best performances I have ever seen, especially considering these are 16-year-olds in a high-pressure game. They are champions for life and they all deserve it.”

A full game summary game be found HERE. 

Following the gold medal game, Hockey Canada announced the 2024 U17 World Challenge all-star team:

• Goaltender – Betts, Canada White
• Defence – Keaton Verhoeff (Fort Saskatchewan, AB/Victoria, WHL), Canada Red
• Defence – Landon DuPont (Calgary, AB/Everett, WHL), Canada Red
• Forward – Preston, Canada White
• Forward – Marcus Nordmark, Sweden
• Forward – Victor Plante, United States

Sweden defeats U.S. 5-4 in overtime to win bronze; Finland finishes in fifth place

Earlier in the day, Sweden rebounded from a 6-4 loss to Canada White in the semifinals to win the bronze medal for the second year in a row, defeating the United States 5-4 in overtime. 

Elton Hermansson was the overtime hero, firing a shot past American goaltender Luke Carrithers on a breakaway 16 seconds into the extra frame to secure Sweden’s 10th medal at the U17 World Challenge, and sixth bronze.

The teams traded goals in the first period before Vilgot Lidén gave Sweden a 3-2 lead just over two minutes into the middle frame. Casey Mutryn evened the score on the power play less than five minutes into the third before Nils Bartholdsson netted a power-play goal of his own to give the Swedes a 4-3 lead. With less than two minutes remaining and the American net empty, Mutryn jammed home his second of the afternoon to send the game to overtime.

In the fifth-place game, Vilho Vanhatalo netted the lone goal 3:33 into the second period to secure a 1-0 win for Finland over Czechia. Oskari Ahmajärvi turned in a 28-save shutout, while Martin Psohlavec made 31 saves for the Czechs.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the U17 World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

QUISPAMSIS, New Brunswick – Ontario Red has won its seventh consecutive gold medal at the U18 Women’s National Championship, defeating Quebec 1-0 at the qPlex on Saturday night.

Ontario Red has captured gold in 14 of the 15 national championships since the inaugural tournament in 2001, while Quebec earned its ninth silver medal and third since 2016.

Dorothy Copetti (Toronto, ON/Durham West, OWHA U22 Elite) broke the deadlock, redirecting a point shot from Alex Therien (Greely, ON/Nepean, OWHA U22 Elite) to give Ontario Red the only goal it would need, and the Ontarians held on for the one goal shutout.

“That is the biggest goal of my life,” Copetti said . “Hockey doesn’t last forever in life—it’s only going to be a small part of my life—but this memory, scoring that goal, winning this tournament with this team is something that I will think about with so much pride for the rest of my life.”

Amelia Wilkinson (Holland Landing, ON/Barrie, OWHA U22 Elite) won the goaltending dual with a 35-save performance for the shutout, while Quebec netminder Marilou Grenier (Quebec, QC/Limoilou, RSEQ) turned in another fantastic performance, making 22 saves.

“We showed a ton of resilience tonight,” said Ontario Red captain Maxine Cimoroni (Toronto, ON/Mississauga, OWHA U22 Elite). “ I don’t think the first two periods were our best, but when we got that first goal, we knew we could lock it down. We blocked a lot of shots and really gutted out the win.”

British Columbia takes down Saskatchewan 4-2 to win bronze

Earlier in the day, London McDavid (Maple Ridge, BC/Delta Hockey Academy, CSSHL) scored the game-winning goal on the power play with just over five minutes to go in regulation time to lift British Columbia to its second-straight bronze medal.

Maisie Cope (Victoria, BC/Delta Hockey Academy, CSSHL) made 27 saves for the victory.

“This feels pretty good,” McDavid said. “We battled right until the end, stuck together and got the job done. It’s special… for a lot of us, this is our last chance to play together, so to go out with a bronze medal is an amazing feeling.”

It’s the fifth bronze medal for British Columbia since the tournament’s inception in 2001.

Following the gold medal game, the tournament awards were announced:

Most Valuable Player: Maxine Cimoroni (Toronto, ON/Mississauga, OWHA U22 Elite)
Top Forward: Stryker Zablocki (Prince Albert, SK/Bishop Kearney Academy, USHS)
Top Defence: Danica Maynard (Lake Country, BC/RHA Kelowna, CSSHL)
Top Goalie: Marilou Grenier (Québec, QC/Limoilou, RSEQ)
Most Sportsmanlike: Kate Manness (La Salle, MB/Burlington, OWHA U22 Elite)

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 U18 Women’s National Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , X, Instagram and TikTok.

For Kendall Doiron, hockey isn’t just about scoring goals and adding to her point totals.

She’s exceptional at doing just that—16 points in 12 games with U.S. prep powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary’s this season—but for Dorion, it’s more about the friendships she has built from being a part of the game.

“The biggest part of my joy for hockey is the friendships. The people in the hockey community are really like no other,” Dorion says. “I've made my closest friends playing hockey. You build such strong bonds being at the rink every day with these people.”

As great of a scorer Dorion is, she believes her calling is to orchestrate plays on the ice.

“I found from an early age, I was more of a playmaker. I am able to see the ice very well and make plays rather than just being a scorer,” Dorion explains. “I think my playmaking, my hockey vision and my IQ is my strongest part of my game.”

The 16-year-old forward from Boylston, Nova Scotia is representing Team Atlantic for the first time this week at the 2024 U18 Women’s National Championship in Quispamsis, New Brunswick. With the tournament hosted in Atlantic Canada for the first time, she’s elated to have the opportunity to play in front of East Coast fans.

“It is exciting to come home and have family watch me in real life,” Dorion says.

Dorion is looked upon as a leader for the Atlantic entry, even though she’s one of the younger players. Leadership is something she has been focusing on as she builds out her skillset as a new recruit at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minnesota.

“Even though it is my first year, I do have to step up and be one of the leaders,” Doiron says. “I know I have more experiences than some of the girls on my team and I think going to these tournaments helps me to know how to deal with it all when I get back.”

Kendall Doiron receiving the player of the game award on Day 2 of U18 Nationals.

As a first-year student at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, U16 girls head coach Ellie Williams Doherty has been impressed with what she has seen from Dorion. This year’s team has 16 newcomers with only four returning, and the coaches are looking for Dorion to grow into a larger role.

“It is hard to be a leader at Shattuck as a new player, but she has proven to be a kid that people are going to follow because she is a very genuine kid,” Williams Doherty says. “She genuinely cares about the good of the team and she is one of the most unselfish players I’ve coached. She's very humble.”

Dorion started in the game at a young age. Her parents, Fabian and Shauna, put enrolled her in a program at four years old. She’s grateful her parents gave her the opportunity to pursue and fall in love with hockey.

“My parents have done everything they can for me to be able to play hockey. It if wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have these opportunities,” she says. “It is a blessing to be able to play hockey in general and I’m super grateful and thankful for my family for encouraging me along the way.”

As Dorion continues to grow and develop on and off the ice, an important piece to her staying genuinely herself is being silly. She prides herself on being happy and making her teammates laugh.

“I love making people laugh and 95 per cent of the time, I have a smile on my face,” Dorion says. “I’m always trying to get people to laugh. Once I get comfortable on a team—which did take me a little longer coming to Shattuck—but once everyone got to know me, I really was able to be myself.”

Williams Doherty is still getting to know Dorion, but she shared the same description of the young forward, adding that she has adapted well to her new environment.

“Kendall is a fast, intelligent player that plays the game effortlessly and she has exceptional athletic maturity for her age,” Williams Doherty says. “On and off the ice, she’s kind of goofy and doesn’t take herself too seriously.”

Before joining Shattuck-St. Mary’s, Dorion played the last two seasons with the Northern Selects in the Maritime Major Female Hockey League (MMFHL), winning a pair of Nova Scotia provincial titles and representing the Atlantic Region twice at the Esso Cup, Canada’s U18 Women’s National Club Championship. Dorion hopes her experience there will help her during U18 Women’s Nationals.

“I think the biggest thing I learned at that tournament is taking care of your body,” she says. “Making sure you’re stretching before games, cooling down after and eating the right food. There are so many games in a few days, and it takes a toll on your body, and you will feel worn out.”

As for Williams Doherty, she hopes Dorion enjoys this experience and brings back some added confidence to Shattuck-St. Mary’s for the rest of the season.

“I think any time you get a chance to perform on a bigger stage, it’s an opportunity to work under pressure. At Shattuck, we say that pressure is a privilege. There are some people that want the pressure. Kendall is a type of kid that doesn’t change who she is. She just tries hard every time,” Williams Doherty says. “I hope she comes back with more confidence in her abilities and experience with those pressure situations.”

OSTRAVA, Czechia – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team earned a silver medal for the third consecutive year at the 2024 International Para Hockey Cup, falling 5-3 to the United States in the gold medal game on Sunday at Ostravar Arena.

Auren Halbert (Calgary, AB), Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, ON) and James Dunn (Wallacetown, ON) scored for Canada in Sunday’s rematch of the 2024 World Para Ice Hockey Championship gold medal game.

The United States responded quickly after each Canadian goal, getting a pair of power play markers from Declan Farmer (Clearwater, FL), helping the U.S. finish the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record, including a pair of wins over Canada.

“We have an understanding of what our identity is as a team and how we need to play night in and night out. I think today and yesterday we lived up to that and it gave us a chance to win,” said head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, ON/York University, OUA). “It’s difficult to win at this level and games often come down to little moments, and tonight the United States executed better in those moments than we did.”

Canada finished the preliminary round with a 2-1 record, defeating Italy in its first game of the tournament, dropping its second game to the United States before wrapping up the preliminary round with a victory over Czechia. Canada earned its spot in the gold medal game with a 1-0 overtime win over Czechia in the semifinals on Saturday.

Adam Kingsmill (Smithers, BC) was strong in net for the Canadians with 22 saves, while Dunn’sperformance, including a third-periodgoal, earned him Canada’s player of the game honours.

“We saw tremendous growth this week, especially from our younger players. A lot of guys got to play heavier minutes than they are used to. Guys like Vincent Boily (Alma, QC) and Shawn Burnett (McMasterville, QC) showed the amount of hard work they put in this summer,” added Herrington . “You’re always worried after winning a big tournament like Para Worlds that there may be some complacency, but a lot of our players came back in better shape than they’ve ever been in. I thought this was a very positive two-weeks together.”

Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will now focus on the 2024 Para Hockey Cup, Dec. 8-14 in Charlottetown, PE. Full-event ticket packages are on sale now .

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook , X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the 44 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada Red and Canada White at the 2024 U17 World Challenge, set for Nov. 3-9 at Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia, Ontario.

The rosters were selected by U17 head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB) and Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), director of hockey operations. Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations also provided input, along with regional scouts Pierre Cholette (Quebec), Rob Simpson (Ontario), Darren Sutherland (Atlantic) and Darrell Woodley (Ontario), as well as Member representatives.

All 44 players have been drafted by Canadian Hockey League (CHL) teams (21 from the OHL, 15 from the WHL and eight from the QMJHL), while 15 represented Canada at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games (Chartrand, Croskery, Di Iorio, Edwards, Ellsworth, Esler, Lawrence, Lin, Preston, Wassilyn, L. Ruck, M. Ruck, Rudolph, Valentini, Verhoeff).

“Following a competitive summer camp and exciting start to the CHL season, we are thrilled to unveil the 44 athletes that will take the next step in the Program of Excellence and represent Canada at the U17 World Challenge,” Roy said. “We believe we have assembled two strong teams that will give us the best chance to defend our gold medal, and we know all 44 players are excited to wear the Maple Leaf with Canada Red and Canada White in Sarnia next month.”

The 2024 U17 World Challenge kicks off on Nov. 3, with Canada White taking on Czechia at 3:30 p.m. ET and Canada Red facing off against Finland at 7:30 p.m. ET. Teams will play two preliminary-round games before the medal round, which concludes on Nov. 9 with the medal games, as well as the fifth-place game. The event will also feature pre-tournament games in Sarnia, Petrolia and Forest on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. ET.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the bronze and gold medal games; check local listings for details.

Fans looking to secure their seat to watch the top under-17 players from five countries can purchase a variety of ticket options at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, with full-event ticket packages starting as low as $140 for youth and $210 for adults (plus fees). A Group A or Group B three-game package is also available starting as low as $50 (plus fees), as well as a seven-game medal round package that starts at $130 (plus fees) and includes one ticket to both quarterfinals, both semifinals, the placement game, and the bronze and gold medal games. Pending availability, single-game tickets will be available in the coming weeks.

As a legacy of hosting the event, Sarnia will receive net proceeds from all ticket sales to support grassroots hockey within the community.

More than 2,000 NHL draft picks have suited up since the inception of the U17 World Challenge (previously known as the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and Quebec Esso Cup) in 1986, including 17 first-overall draft picks since 2001 (Ilya Kovalchuk, 2001; Rick Nash, 2002; Marc-André Fleury, 2003; Alexander Ovechkin, 2004; Erik Johnson, 2006; Patrick Kane, 2007; John Tavares, 2009; Taylor Hall, 2010, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 2011; Nathan MacKinnon, 2013; Aaron Ekblad, 2014; Connor McDavid, 2015; Auston Matthews, 2016; Jack Hughes, 2019; Alexis Lafrenière, 2020; Owen Power, 2021; Macklin Celebrini, 2024).

For more information on Hockey Canada and the U17 World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the three Canadian Hockey League (CHL) general managers that will make up the Program of Excellence management group for the 2024-25 season.

Yanick Lemay (Drummondville, QC/Drummondville, QMJHL) will make his debut as a member of the POE management group, guiding the under-17 program through the 2024 U17 World Challenge in Sarnia, Ontario, while Dave Brown (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON/Erie, OHL) returned to the POE for the second year in a row, serving as under-18 lead by helping Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team win its third-straight gold medal at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton in August. Peter Anholt (Naicam, SK/Lethbridge, WHL) is part of the management group for the fourth-consecutive season and leading the under-20 program for the second time in as many years, advising Canada’s National Junior Team through the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.

In addition, Team Canada alumni Kyle Turris (New Westminster, BC) and Brent Seabrook (Tsawwassen, BC) have joined the management group of the under-17 and under-20 programs, respectively. Turris will work alongside Lemay, making his management debut, while Seabrook returns to the under-20 program for the second-straight year to work alongside Anholt. 

“We are grateful for Yanick, Dave, Peter, Kyle and Brent’s commitment and dedication to the Program of Excellence, as these three general managers and two recognized alumni bring a wealth of experience and leadership to Hockey Canada’s under-17, under-18 and under-20 programs,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “The POE has been successful to start the new season, with Dave helping our under-18 program capture gold on home ice, and we know Yanick, Kyle, Peter and Brent are excited to continue to contribute to Canada’s success on the international stage in the coming months.”

Lemay is currently in his second season as general manager of the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Last season, he helped lead the Voltigeurs to a 102-point season, winning the Trophée Gilles-Courteau as QMJHL champions and earning a spot in the Memorial Cup. Prior to joining Drummondville, he served as an amateur scout with the Winnipeg Jets for 12 seasons (2011-23), was the head scout of the QMJHL’s Montréal Junior for three seasons (2008-11), and spent 10 seasons with the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles as a scout (1998-2002) and head scout (2002-08).

Brown guided the under-17 program in 2023-24, helping Canada White to a gold medal at the 2023 U17 World Challenge. He is currently in his 10th season (2015-24) as general manager of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after serving four seasons as director (2014-15) and assistant director (2011-14) of hockey operations with the team. Brown led Erie to an OHL championship in 2017, and contributed to a CHL record of four-consecutive 50-win seasons (2011-15). Prior to joining the Otters, he spent seven seasons with the Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs, serving as assistant general manager (2003-05) and general manager (2005-10).

Anholt led the under-20 program last season, as well as the under-18 program for two seasons (2021-23), helping Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team win a gold medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is currently in his ninth full season (2015-24) as general manager of the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL) after being promoted from assistant general manager in 2014. Anholt also spent time as head coach of the Hurricanes for part of the 2014-15 season, and has won the WHL Executive of the Year award twice (2015-16, 2019-20). He brings a wealth of WHL experience as a head coach, assistant coach and scout, including stints with the Prince Albert Raiders (1986-89, 2002-07), Seattle Thunderbirds (1989-92, 2012-14), Red Deer Rebels (1992-95, 1998-2000, 2007-08, 2011-12) and Kelowna Rockets (1996-98).

Turris played in 776 NHL games over 14 seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes (2008-11), Ottawa Senators (2011-17), Nashville Predators (2017-20) and Edmonton Oilers (2020-22), amassing 424 points (168 goals, 256 assists). He suited up for Canada at all levels of the POE, winning gold medals at the 2006 U18 Junior World Cup and 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship, and won gold with Canada West at the inaugural World Junior A Challenge in 2006, where he led the tournament in scoring and was named Most Valuable Player. Turris also played at three IIHF World Championships (2014, 2018, 2019), serving as captain and winning a silver medal in 2019.

Seabrook played in 1,114 NHL games over 15 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks (2005-20), recording 464 career points (103 goals, 361 assists), serving as an alternate captain for 11 seasons and winning the Stanley Cup three times (2010, 2013, 2015). He won a silver medal at the 2002 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, gold medals at the 2002 Eight Nations Cup and 2003 IIHF World U18 Championship, and gold (2005) and silver (2004) at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Seabrook also suited up for Canada at the 2006 IIHF World Championship and won gold at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Prior to his professional career, he played four WHL seasons (2001-05) for Lethbridge, serving as Hurricanes captain for two seasons (2003-05).

The management group will work alongside Salmond, Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), director of hockey operations, U20 head scout Al Murray (Regina, SK), U17 head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB) and Scott Walker (Cambridge, ON), player development coach, as well as the organization’s hockey operations staff. Day-to-day operations for the POE management group include assisting in coach and player selections, supporting the coaching staffs and providing input during camps and tournaments throughout the season.

The Program of Excellence is overseen by Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer; Pat McLaughlin (Saint John, NB), Hockey Canada’s chief operating officer and executive vice-president, strategy; Salmond; Roy; Dan MacKenzie (Guelph, ON), CHL president; Bryan Crawford (Hamilton, ON), OHL commissioner; Mario Cecchini (Saint-Lambert, QC), QMJHL commissioner; and Dan Near (Markham, ON), WHL commissioner.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

ELMIRA, Ontario – Hockey Canada has unveiled the 18 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team at the International Para Hockey (IPH) Cup, Oct. 7-13 in Ostrava, Czechia.

Three goaltenders, five defencemen and 10 forwards were selected by head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, ON/York University, OUA) and Adam Janssen (Richmond Hill, ON), manager of hockey operations. Assistant coaches Mike Fountain (Gravenhurst, ON) , Boris Rybalka (Vernon, BC) and Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON) also provided input.

“We are excited to begin our 2024-25 season overseas,” said Herrington. “We want to carry the momentum from our Para Worlds success and continue to develop and grow as a group. We had a competitive evaluation camp and are excited to face three strong teams in Czechia.”

The roster features 14 players who won a gold medal at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary (Armstrong, Boily, Burnett, Cozzolino, Dixon, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Jacobs-Webb, Kingsmill, Kovacevich, Lelièvre, McGregor, Watson) .

Canada’s National Para Hockey Team selected its roster from the 32 players who participated in evaluation camp, Sept. 27–Oct. 3 at the Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira, Ontario.

Canada opens its schedule at the IPH Cup against Italy at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT on Oct. 7. It will also face the United States (Oct. 8) in a rematch of the Para Worlds gold medal game, and the host Czechs (Oct. 10) in preliminary-round play. The semifinals are set for Oct. 12, with the medal games on Oct. 13.

Hockey Canada also announced the support staff that will travel to Ostrava:

• Video coach Steve Arsenault (Spruce Grove, AB)
• Equipment managers Grant Boswall (Cornwall, PE) and Matina Landstad (West Vancouver, BC/Toronto, PWHL)
• Physiotherapist Michael Lenart (Keswick, ON)
• Team physician Dr. Danielle Kelton (Guelph, ON)
•  Hockey operations director Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON)
• Hockey operations coordinator Miah Armitage (Creston, BC)

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.